Hon, get your support where you can and for Steve too. I am new but you have mine. Lots of times people think they are protecting you or him but there is nothing ti be ashamed of. My last stroks they said i wouldnt live and were it not for THREE people who showed they cared i might not have. they were all online.their support and love got me through and nobody can convince me otherwise.

You are not a wuss! I know a kot of wusses and you arent one of them.

Wusses can't handle stroke.

Jamie

I agree with Jamie. You need support and you get it where you can. If family or friends are not going to be there to help out or support you, they can blow it out their ........ummm, ear (I'm being nice here, but you know what I mean!). Nobody has the right to tell you what to do, and until they've walked a mile in your shoes, will never understand what you are going through. Come back and vent as often as you need to and we are all hear to listen. Join in the chat rooms if you can. I'll be hosting caregiver chat later tonight.

Sarah

Count me in there. Without this stroke support site Ray would not have been home for so long, I would be insane and in a nice padded cell somewhere and he would have been in care since 2005.

And who exactly cares anyway? Family and friends? Loved ones near and far? Not on the whole...not they don't. So if they don't like their names in the papers or on this site...tough.

Whoops I think I am supposed to calm you down, not stir you up...lol.

(((hugs))) from Sue.

Update: in the few hours since I posted this TWO Facebook friends (people I know in real life.... and who know Steve) spoke up about how dementia (in one case stroke-related vascular dementia) has been a big issue in their life. One in particular *thanked* me for being so open and honest about what is going on with Steve.

So ya. His own son can't handle it. But my posts have helped at TWO younger people to handle what is going on in their families.

Also PS to HostSue: I am a very outspoken, almost militant, activist for quite a few causes. I come pre-stirred up. :p

What ^^^ they ^^^ said. Only I'd pare it down to two succinct words, French,I think, for the people telling you how to get through what you're going through. : )

Sometimes I feel as this is the only way I can get things off my chest on this caregiving journey